The invention relates to a sample table for a food analyzing device.
Foods, such as cereals, bruised grain, pulses, flour, oil seeds, fish, and also meat and meat products for example, are regularly analyzed with regard to their composition. For this, spectrometers are used. These irradiate the food sample to be analyzed with a light beam of varying wavelength and measure the wavelength-dependent reflection or wavelength-dependent absorption of the light beam by the food sample.
Based on the reflection or absorption profile, it is possible to obtain information on the composition of the sample.
Since samples of foods are usually inhomogeneous in terms of their properties, it is necessary to carry out corresponding measurements at a large number of positions on a sample in order thus to obtain a mean value. To this end, the light beam is guided across the sample and a measurement of the absorption or reflection is carried out at a number of locations.
Such measurements are carried out regularly in the context of the incoming goods inspection and during the production process. Due to strict hygiene regulations, it is necessary to reliably prevent any contamination of the spectrometer.
Drives for the sample holder, by means of which the sample holder is moved in order to carry out measurements at different locations on the sample, have been found to be particularly problematic in this context. The drives usually have undercuts in which residues of food can accumulate and form germ hotspots.
In order to prevent these germ hotspots, in known spectrometers the light beam is guided across the sample. As a result, there is no need for a drive for the sample holder and germ hotspots are avoided. In order to guide the light beam, movable mirrors are used for example.
However, the control of these mirrors is complicated and susceptible to errors, particularly in harsh environmental conditions, such as in the incoming goods department for example.
The objective of the present invention is therefore to propose a sample table for a food analyzing device which alleviates the above disadvantages. In particular, the objective of the invention is to provide a simplified sample table and a food analyzing device which allow a rapid or simple spectroscopic analysis of a food sample and are easy to clean.
The invention achieves this objective by means of a sample table for a food analyzing device and a food analyzing device having the features of the invention.